Yawning during excersize....
 

Does anyone else have this problem?? It's weird, I know. I am in cardio class working like a dog and i am standing there yawning as i am doing jumping jacks. It's like the more i excersize, the more I yawn. I feel like my teacher must think her class isn't stimulating enough for me if I am yawning all thru it. Next time I have my physical, I'm going to ask my doctor but does "anybody" else have this happen????:?:

This happens with me lots; I'm wondering if maybe it's because yawning is the body's way of trying to get more oxygen into the lungs, and when you're exercising you're using more oxygen? Just my theory...

I agree with Shelby. I do this CONSTANTLY, drives me nuts. But i do think that i am not taking deep enough breathes during my workouts and this is my body's way of getting the air in there.

I've often heard that yawning was a sign of lack of oxygen, but i just can't imagine that with my huffing and puffing that I am not getting enough oxygen. But I am so glad to hear i am not the only person who had this happen. I almost find it embarressing.

Often, when you're huffing and puffing, you're not getting enough oxygen, because those are just quick, shallow breaths.

Personally, I find it really funny. But then, I usually work out alone. :)

yup...it's just a lack of oxygen. :) I always breathe differntly than trainers would tell me to because I would find myslef yawning when I'd do the huffing and puffing as well. Hmmmm....

I had this discussion with my DH just the other day. When you breathe shallowly (i.e. huff and puff, or pant) you don't get enough air into your lungs to exchange the new (inhaled) air with the old (which should be exhaled). This is not quite scientific :) but when you huff and puff basically you take a little air into your lungs and immediately exhale it again. Practice taking deeper breaths, and if you've ever done yoga, you'll know that it's much easier to breathe deeper if you use your belly muscles. Your belly should expand on the inhale and relax on the exhale. :)

Thanks WaterRat. I'll give that a try tonight. But when I am going full force in class, it is hard to think about my breathing technique. I'm just concentrating on getting my legs to keep going!! lol!

Better breathing can actually help you to not be so sore and to be able to go longer..

Oxygen is very important for our whole body so if we are breathing properly then we won't feel so tired and won't have such a need to either slow down or stop. I've been learning this little by little especially when running. Because I am so overweight, it's important for me to get that oxygen to my legs so they don't get so tired. Oxygen helps muscles to operate. :carrot:

I've always had this problem so I asked my doctor about it. He said what every one else here has said. Not enough oxygen, and to concentrate on taking deeper breathes.

I find that when I'm working out my shoulders tend to rise toward my ears and my whole torso tenses up. I'm a singer and know how to breathe to the diaphragm, but it all goes out the window when I'm exercising. It helps to imagine your lower abdomen containing a "tank" which you must fill with air, your lungs being the last part to fill. Keep your shoulders and neck muscles relaxed and take a nice easy breath through the nose. If you practise this while at rest, you may feel in more control of the yawning while exercising. It's hard though, when you're trying to throw your body around at the same time :)